A Bridge to fill the gap
by SarahSunshineTime
Summary: After a failed pursuit after the Renegade, Paige meets someone unexpected on her Bridge. Renegade and Paige
1. Chapter 1

**A Bridge to fill the gap**

**Summary: Paige meets an unexpected visitor on her bridge**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did Tron Uprising wouldn't have been canceled. **

Paige's life as well as the lives of basically everyone on board of Tesler's base these days revolved around one thing: The renegade. Catching the Renegade, missing the Renegade, getting yelled at for not catching the Renegade, every day it was the same. Why it was getting out of hand that the occupation should of changed its mission statement from 'promoting the rule of glorious CLU' to 'Let's not get our asses handed to us by this vigilante today.'

Even Pavel was in a fouler mood than usual and that's saying something considering the guy was a deranged lunatic.

The Renegade was constantly on everyone's minds, with Paige being no exception. When she was not out physically perusing the Renegade she was placed to dig through countless Pectocycles of all the known footage of the guy. She spent so many hours starting persistently at monitors that she started feeling woozy. Nothing could be learned besides what they already knew. There were simply no good leads, at least ones they hadn't looked into about the guy.

Around Midcycle she was relieved for lunch by a lower officer. Relieved to get out of the stuffy workroom Paige navigated her way around the crowded hallways to her quarters. As a commander she had a pretty good outfit. Her 'room' housed a bedroom, kitchen, lavatory, study and closet. It also had full length windows on one side overlooking the sky line of Argon. Some nights she sat on the edge of her bed gazing out at the city wondering if he was hidden down there somewhere.

Knowing that her precious microcycles were going to waste; Paige elected to do something she hadn't done for a very long time. Going over to her closet through her bed room she pulled out an old chest.

When she had joined the occupation she was only allowed to bring a few personal possessions with her. Granted she didn't have many to begin with but she had elected to bring an old photograph and her instrument. Glancing at the picture with a broken smile on her face she pulled out the instrument and set it in her lap.

She thought of how the last two times she played it and how both instances featured someone who was out to get her. The Renegade and Quorra. She softly placed her fingers on the keys and closed her eyes.

Was she really about to do this, again? Break the occupations rules of personal pleasures for a few precious moments of Luxury. Paige knew that if she was caught her instrument would be confiscated and she would be subject for termination.

Paige wasn't very fond of termination. It was a very messy process that took forever to clean up.

Just as her fingers lightly pressed down on the keys the alarms started blaring. Ever since the Renegade had become a major threat a few Hilo cycles ago he had been lucky enough to be given his own alarm. It flashed white light down the corridors and made the most obnoxious screeching sound.

Paige quickly hid the instrument back in the trunk and pushed it back into the corner of the closet. She leapt to her feet, grasped her disk instinctively and headed out of her room.

Outside her door two infantry programs were grumbling as they awaited her arrival. "Great it's another day in the office: getting out butt handed to us by the Renegade."

The other one obviously was programmed well as he jabbed his partner in the ribs. "Shut up will you Vector? The commanders coming," he glanced at the door nervously.

"Well she should hurry up," Vector complained sourly as the door opened to reveal a very unamused commanding officer.

Paige strolled out of her quarters to the two guards. "If you have any problem with having to wait for me you can simply bring it up with Tesler. I'm sure he will find your lack of patience a breath of fresh air in this crisis. "

Vector clammed him mouth. He was glad his heavy helmet covered his face so that the commander couldn't see the sweat sliding down his forehead. "That won't be necessary."

"You better hope so, because you'll be worse than derezzed if you waste anyone's time like that again. Now, are you two assigned to my unit?" Paige asked suddenly getting right to the point.

Both Guards nodded. Paige looked them over and wished that she had brought it up with Tesler in their last meeting how she would prefer to go solo. These clunk heads would only slow her down. "Alright then, fall in behind me; we have a Renegade to catch." Paige turned around and started marching down the hall so the two guards couldn't see the thin line of doubt forming on her lip.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Paige learned on the way to downtown Argon how the other programs name was Boolean, and unlike Vector he was a very good follower and solider. This restored hope in Paige a little knowing she was just leading one Lackey and not two. The only downside was that Boolean, as nice as he was, talked a lot.

They were racing their light cycles through the subway station when he asked: "Um… Commander Paige what's the plan when we get there?"

Paige bit her lip as she thought of the best way to get rid of the followers. "We observe until he shows up and then I'll tell you what to do based on the situation." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Vector shaking his head.

They rode on for a couple more minutes when Boolean asked again: "How long have you been in the occupation commander?"

"About 3 Xilacycles," Paige responded not really wanting the conversation to go farther, but it did."

"Wow, that's rather quick for you to be placed so high up in the ranks so quickly." Boolean said with admiration.

Paige just sternly nodded as they left the subway onto the city block.

Pavel was already there, _great now to go meet another thorn in her side_. She thought grimly. When he saw her crew show up he faked a smile that would have looked right at home on a con artist. "Paige so glad you could make it. Thank you for all your help so far!"

Paige resisted the urge to drop kick the smarmy coworker right then and there. She just motioned over to her subordinates and they walked together into a back alley.

"What are we doing?" Vector said annoyed.

Paige sighed, "We're going to get up onto the roofs." She pointed to a decaying ladder leading up at the end of the alley. Knowing that another smart ass comment was just waiting for her she continued. "The Renegade usually doesn't run through the actual busy streets of Argon, he usually sticks to roofs, side streets and alleys so up there we have a better view.

Boolean nodded his agreement. "Sounds like a great plan to me, Commander."

A small smile came across her lips without Paige realizing it. Loyal and honest occupation members were hard to come by these days. "Okay then let's get on that roof."

They sat on the roof scouting the surrounding area for perhaps a pectocycle. Vector continued to grumble and started kicking all the debris that had collected on the tiles.

Paige too felt frustration but she refused to show it. She kept walking around the perimeter looking out and leaning over. Boolean assisted her by checking in constantly with the occupations communication system.

Paige was about to call it quits when she spotted a white figure being chased into the guards from several blocks away. The communication system confirmed it as the Renegade.

"Time to dance Renegade," Paige mumbled under her breathe. She motioned over to the two guards and pointed to the most wanted man on the grid. "When he runs over here we'll jump from the roof and take him by surprise."

To her surprise both guards nodded. Maybe they were just excited for some action.

Finally the Renegade went flying pat their building and Paige jumped. Midway down Paige was broke with the realization that maybe she had timed her jump a little too perfectly as she crashed into the Renegade.

Good news? Well for one she wasn't dead and the Renegade was out of breathe.

Bad news? So was she and she was aching all over.

Grunting both her and the Renegade untangled each other. Paige smiled as reinforcements flocked to her aid circling the Renegade. Maybe today they would finally catch this parasite.

After several intense movements with either side moving Paige thrust her disk forward. "Go get him boys." Howling like freely released animals the Soldiers stampeded towards the white figure. Paige watched as he glanced around him quickly and pressed a button on his suit.

Too late Paige knew what he had in mind.

She watched as he jumped straight up from the crowd and onto the nearest building. Paige had no idea how he did it, must have had something to deal with his suit. Unfortunately all of the soldiers crashed into themselves and started hitting each other.

Paige figured she didn't have time for their incompetence and started bolting after the renegade. She rezzed up her light bike and followed the renegade on the ground. Keeping a narrow eye out him was brought to Argon square.

Strange, did he want to hide himself in the crowd?

She looked behind her and found Pavel ridding right behind her.

_Great,_ she thought. _Now I have to deal with him too._

The Renegade jumped off of the building and started going through the crowd.

"Pavel don't!" Paige shouted as he threw his disk straight into the crowd.

Enough of them had enough sense to duck out of the way but one of them got struck in the back who was in front of the renegade.

Paige watched in horror as another innocent program got derezzed. The Renegade looked at her, his mask hiding his expression but Paige could of sworn he felt the same way.

He knelt down at the disk by his feet and picked it up. He looked at it for a moment and then started running back through the crowd.

Paige was forced to derezz her bike in the square but it was no use and started to pursue. It wasn't much use in another few micro cycles he was gone.

They had missed him yet again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

Paige's shoulders shrugged in defeat. _Great they had missed him yet again._ She started back in the opposite direction, she shot Pavel a death glare as he graced off to his own men. Paige watched him go and figured she should go find her own unit.

She found Boolean and Vector back where they had him surrounded micros ago. Both of their helmets had been brought back and they were yelling at each other.

"Why did you hit my arm?" Boolean shouted showing Vector his injured wrist.

"Why were you in my way?" Vector roared back. "I was going after the Renegade!"

"The Renegade already jumped over our heads." Boolean retorted.

Paige sighed and rolled her eyes. "If you children are done squabbling we need to get back to base."

Boolean nodded suddenly blushing due to him realizing how he had been caught in an argument" Yes Commander."

"Yes, Commander," Vector repeated sourly. Paige turned around and started walking when she heard Vector loudly hiss, "Kiss up."

Paige ignored Booleans comments and continued heading toward the base through the alley ways of Argon. No need to frighten any civilians, especially after what happened earlier this morning. Besides the longer Paige could avoid Pavel's forces the better.

They walked on in science weaving in and out of downtown Argon. They made their way back to the station and Paige ordered their bikes to be derezzed.

When they finally made it back to the base Paige wanted nothing more than to get to her quarters and plop down for a sleep cycle. However when she saw Tesler awaited her arrival she knew she wasn't going to be so lucky.

"General," Paige greeted trying to hide her agitation.

"Paige," he greeted simply. "I've heard that today was not as successful as you have hoped it would be."

Paige gulped down her snarky reply, "that is correct, General."

Tesler merely nodded, "Pavel has already reported to me of that. He says that you stopped him form chasing the Renegade into Argon square."

Pavel's mind rolled through a bucketful of insults at Pavel. "I was aware that he had already melded into the crowd and chasing him would only make the citizens trust us less if more got derezzed."

"Since when did you think I care about the lives of a few programs?" Tesler asked her. Paige didn't have a response to that. Tesler just went on: "At any rate I want you and one of your men to go check out the footage form this fight. See if you can pick up on anything."

Paige and her men saluted and her boss walked away. She pointed at Boolean and motioned toward the other hallway to the control room. "Boolean come with me, Vector you're released for the cycle."

As their group diverged off to the hallway Paige glanced and saw that the other program was holding his wrist. Paige waited until they were in the control room when she turned around and put her hand on his injured wrists. "You're injured."

Under his helmet Boolean was blushing. "Um… Commander."

"Relax give me your disk." Paige tried to hide her blush as well.

Boolean reluctantly handed his disk over to his superior officer.

Paige went through his files until she found his code. After a few simple calculations his wrist started looking good as new. "There," she said handing him back his most valuable position. "Good as new."

"How did you learn how to do that? They don't show us that in basic training." Boolean asked awed.

Paige looked away, "let's just say I wasn't always a soldier."

Boolean nodded like he no longer needed explanation. "I just guess that there was some way I could repay you."

Paige thought for a moment. "Tell you what; let's get through this horrendous assignment and then how about you take me to the bridge."

"That big one that overlooks Argon?" he asked.

"that's the one," Paige clarified.

A few hours later Paige stood at the edge of the light cooper testing her parachute deploy. "Thanks so much for this Boolean."

"It's no problem commander." He yelled over the controls. "I'll come pick you up in a few micros."

Paige nodded and jumped out of the chopper.

When she landed at the Paige she was prepared to have some good and personal alone time. Time to think. However when she looked over she found that she wasn't alone.

The Renegade was on the bridge too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Howdy there! I'm back and before I go on to chapter four I just want to give a **s**hout out to my awesome reviewers ****J****all two of you;) **

**Mach5plus1**

**Krisdaughter of Athena **

**You guys are awesome and you keep me motivated so thank you. Now then I'll shut up and get to the story**

**Chapter Four**

Paige knew that she should have attacked him right then and there. She should have followed all of the procedures that have been pounded into her head for the past few Hilocycles. If you come across the renegade, engage the renegade. Don't talk, don't think, just act. Put Paige didn't act.

She just stood there on her bridge looking over at the Renegade who had his feet dangling over the side. Right now he reminded her so much of Beck, her boyfriend. The way he sat, and how his head was tilted as he looked at her warily. Yet she knew that there was no chance that Beck could be the Renegade, Beck was just a mechanic. It wasn't in his programing to rebel.

Then again, it wasn't in Paige's programing to be a soldier or play music.

In his hands she noticed that he was holding the deceased programs disk and suddenly Paige knew what was wrong with this defeated looking vigilante.

He felt guilty for the programs death.

Paige could relate, looking at him, seeing him look so… normal made Paige stop. She knew in her head that she should whip out her disk and derezz him, but in her heart it was the wrong thing to do.

All these thoughts whizzed through her head at nanosecond speed. Against her better judgment Paige made up her mind and sat down next to the Renegade.

He glanced over warily, "don't tell me you want to dance."

Paige smiled softly: "Luckily for you I'm not in the mood."

"Luckily for you I'm not in the mood either." He joked, but he sounded tired like he had missed several sleep cycles.

They sat in silence for several micro cycles gazing out at the Argon skyline they were waging war over. The Renegade kept stealing glances at her, as if to make sure she wasn't about to do something that could result in him being turned into millions of cubes.

Finally Paige broke the silence, "what was his name?" she asked.

"Why do you care?" The Renegade retorted. "I thought the occupation didn't care if a few programs got derezzed."

"I'm not the occupation." Paige said.

"You wear their colors. You command their army and you fight for CLU, seems like you're the occupation."

Paige felt the need to defend myself. "It's my job."

The Renegade just looked at her as if she was a pupil who was yet to get his point. "Some job."

"Shut up, unlike you I'm trying to save the grid."

"Wrong again." The Renegade clicked his tongue playfully.

"Are you implying that I'm not trying to save the grid?" Paige asked angrily.

The Renegade raised his hands in mock surrender, "No, not at all. I really think that you are fighting for the common good. It's just that I'm fighting for it too. I don't don this flashy outfit to rain down havoc to the people of my city. I don't risk my life for the heck of it. I'm not just some thorn in the world's side that won't go away. I'm trying to save the grid," his fingers clenched the dead programs disk. "And every day I ask myself why I still do it. Every time some poor program is in the wrong place at the wrong time because of me I feel as if my soul is being stabbed too."

Paige was silent through his catharsis, "okay I accept the fact that you are fighting for the good of the grid. So, what was his name?"

The Renegade reopened the memory file of the disk and showed her a 3D portrait of the young program. "His name was Byte," the Renegade choked up. "He was young, happy and most of all innocent. He never did anything wrong. He obeyed all the rules, worked full time, and went to school everything. He had a girlfriend and they were really close to getting a place together. Now they'll never get the chance. Because he's dead, he's dead because I killed him. If I hadn't gone into that crowd, he could be alive. How could I be so damn stupid Paige?" he asked. Paige could bet under his helmet he was sobbing.

Paige felt herself reflecting his feelings. She too felt guilty for the innocent programs demise. She strangely felt the need to comfort the most wanted man in Argon. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.

The Renegade slowly raised his head, "what do you mean, of course it is."

"I said it wasn't your fault. Pavel threw the disk. Pavel is the murderer." Paige told him trying to sound soothing.

"But I was his target" the Renegade stated.

"And I lead Pavel right toward him," Paige said. "So I guess it's everyone's fault. We all played a factor in his death. We all get the blame. So stop blaming just yourself, Renegade. Because trust me you won't be able to carry on if you do."

Paige remembered how in the early days of her being a soldier that whenever a civilian died it hurt her. It made her whole body shack and feel as if it had been her who had been derezzed. Even now all these years later, that feeling never went away.

''I just feel so guilty." He mumbled.

Paige sighed. "You cannot beat yourself up every time a civilian dies for whatever corrupt cause or stupid preventable reason. It will still hurt, believe me. Will you still feel guilty? Yes! But if you cannot bring yourself up each time you fall then you are not strong enough eternally and something tells me you are strong." Paige could not believe the words that came out of her mouth. Did she just motivate the Renegade, and compliment him too? She definitely had a bit loose.

After a while the Renegade laughed shakily, "Look at us, two sworn enemies talking on a bridge and neither of us has lost a limb."

Paige was happy to change the subject. "You watch it that could change in a blink of an eye" yet it came out more playful than she intended it to.

"Ah you wouldn't hurt me now commander would ya?" He joked.

Paige blushed and looked away, "I don't know would you hurt me?"

"No, never," his response came out so quickly. So too the point that Paige couldn't help but believe there was some truth behind his words. She checked her timer, "crap Boolean is going to be here in fifteen micro cycles."

"So there is only fifteen minutes left to our temporary truce?" The Renegade asked sounding disappointed.

"It seems so," Paige muttered. "And who ever said we had a temporary truce?"

"You did, on the island remember?"

Paige really didn't want to remember that experience. "Yes, but that was on the island, and you ended up leaving me in the ocean to drown."

The Renegade flinched like she had stabbed him. "Not quiet actually." He pulled out his disk in a peaceful motion and pulled up his memory files. He accessed the one when she had fallen of the cliff and showed it to her,"

Paige watched as the Renegade yelled her name as she tumbled down the cliff face toward the water. He then grabbed the power pack and ran to their modified boat. He plugs the power pack in but it doesn't start up. He hits it frantically and eventually lights up. He barrels toward where she fell when a claw swooped down and grabbed her from the fringed depths.

Paige gulped after it was done. The Renegade put away his disk. "I never meant for you to get hurt Paige. I never have and I never will."

Paige felt her pulse racing as if it had hopped on a light cycle. "So then, does this mean that you like me?" she asked not believing that those words came out of her mouth.

The Renegade just tilted his head to the side. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see. So do we still have a truce?"

Paige thought it over. "A temporary truce, but yes we have a truce."

Underneath his mask the Renegade was beaming. "Sweet. So next question, will you help me save the grid."

Paige's first response was to push him of the bridge. The next was to curse him out and say no. But then Paige took a long look at Byte's disk and how many more would be piled up by the time this conflict would be resolved at his rate. She didn't want to see any more civilians die, and definitely not by the occupations hands. "I will do my best, to help save the grid." She said evenly. "No more, no less."

The Renegade merely nodded. "Glad to hear it. One last thing before I go," he handed her a small device. "Attach this to your disk and it will be able to edit the memories that you chose. Just on the surface though to get past a security scan, it won't help you if it gets confiscated. Trust me when I say it works."

Paige gingerly accepted the gift. She looked on into the distance and saw Boolean's light chopper approaching.

"I'll see you around Argon commander," the Renegade said and then jumped straight of the Bridge and disappeared into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Nota Bene: **

**Hey guys I'm back (did you miss me ;0) Anyway I want to thank everyone for their awesome reviews. You guys are amazing and keep me motivated, which is good because that means I'm tempted to write faster. **

**But enough about me let's get to the story. Be sure to review and all that jazz (or flames just note that I have fire extinguishers.) **

**Chapter Five**

Later on their flight back to the base, Boolean glanced back from the controls at his commander with concern blatantly written on his face. "Is everything all right commander, you've been awfully quiet."

Paige, who had been deep in thought, looked up, "just trying to get my thoughts sorted." She said quietly. Boolean nodded satisfied and focused his attention back to the controls.

Paige sank back into the bench somewhat relieved that the loud chopper wings would be helpful in drowning out conversation. It wasn't that she didn't like talking to Boolean. She actually really enjoyed it. With him she didn't have to be so guarded all the time. It was just that right now she wanted to let her mind wander after her meeting with the renegade.

For no particular reason she remembered her first encounter with the helmeted vigilante. She had chased him into the cargo district and then jumped after him onto a light chopper. Just like the one she was in now. Thinking back on that night she recalled how during their fight she had fallen provocatively onto him.

In the present Paige felt her checks uncharacteristically flush red.

She noticed absentmindedly that Boolean was calling out to her. She glanced up questionably, "Excuse me, what did you just say."

Her pilot shook his head good naturally, "I said we were about to reach the base in five minutes."

"Oh, okay thanks." Paige replied. She smiled softly when Boolean went back to his task once again.

_He really was a good solider_, she mused. _Followers like him were hard to come by in the occupation. Not only was that but the General getting awfully tired of her constantly demanding solo missions. _

_Maybe Boolean could help her with that. _

By the end of the flight, and after much consideration Paige made up her mind.

She was going to promote Boolean as her lieutenant.

Paige Break J

When they arrived at the base Paige insisted that Boolean accompany her to her quarters. With a rather confused look on his face he did.

It was evident that Boolean wasn't a big fan of silence and after a few micros he brought back up conversation. "So commander, if you don't mind me asking, what is the meaning of this?" he asked shyly.

Paige internally prompted herself into action and returned with a question of her own. "Boolean how old are you?"

"I'm um… 19 xilacycles captain." He responded.

Paige nodded to herself, somewhat surprised by how close in age they really were, and she was only two xilacycles older than him after all. But the good news was that she was old enough to be promoted. "And how long have you been in the occupation?"

"About a xilacycles and a half, ma'am," He said. They kept on walking.

"If you don't mind me asking Boolean, what were you initially programmed as before you joined the occupation?" Paige turned at him after not receiving an immediate answer.

Boolean's face suddenly became chalk white and him mouth clammed up. "I rather not talk about it captain. My old life doesn't affect how I perform as a soldier and so I see no need to dwell on it."

Paige raised her eyebrow, sensing that she had struck a unnecessary cord. She decided to let the subject drop. "I suppose that's understandable."

Boolean nodded and looked away embarrassed. When they reached the door of Paige's quarters he stiffened up. "Here we are commander," he said with brevity.

Paige tilted her head, now was her chance. "Boolean…" she started not sure how to continue. She never had been good at talking to programs. "how dedicated are you to the occupation?"

"It is my life now commander." He stated.

"And it is mine. It is all I have now. How would you feel if your life got a lot better real soon? What if I could make your life a lot better right now?"

"How?" he asked looking at the door to her bedroom apprehensively. Only then did Paige realize how that might have come off the right way. Paige flushed up and decided just to blurt it out: "I'm going to promote you to my lieutenant next time I see general Tesler."

Booleans brown eyes grew as big as his disk. His mouth opened up and down yet no words came out.

Paige allowed herself a bemused smile; she looked very similar when she had been promoted to field commander.

Boolean finally spoke up, "But I've only worked under your command for a couple of cycles."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"and I'm just adequate when it comes to combat,"

Paige shrugged feeling that right now was not the time to put in her opinion on the subject.

"Why? Why are you promoting me commander?" he asked baffled. Paige was a bit startled by his lack of self-confidence and so desperate to keep his spirits lifted she started rattling off her reasons with no rhyme or reason.

"You're dedicated, determined and extremely loyal. You have never once questioned my authority without a valid reason; you follow orders easily and precisely. You work for the greater good rather than for yourself. That is an invaluable skill Boolean. Soldiers like you are hard to come by believe me." Paige's voice softened. "That's the reason why I always try to ditch my unit because none of the soldiers under my command are like you. They're all rash and power hungry. They follow CLU as an excused to gain power over the citizens and bully programs. "

Boolean just stood shell shocked by all the praise. It seemed as if he had never been acclaimed for anything in his life. He looked as if tears were about to fall down his boyish face.

He managed to find his voice: "Thank you commander, I accept."

Paige nodded, "I'm glad to hear that Boolean." She opened the door to her spacious quarters. "Good night Boolean."

"goodnight," he said and turned to walk down the hall. When he was sure her door was closed her allowed his tears of joy to fall. Never in his life had anybody spoken to him in the way the commander had back there.

The scars under his uniform were a constant throbbing reminder of that.

He rezzed up his helmet as he approached the other troops. If they saw him crying he would never hear the end of it.

Boolean mentally went through everything that happen that cycle. He couldn't believe how lucky he was right now.

Commander Paige was right, his life has just gotten a lot better.

Paige break

After several moments alone in her quarters Paige brought out the gift from the renegade. Following his careful instructions he had confided in her before his leave she went in and fixed all the memories that could incriminate her.

Thinking ahead she also washed over the ones where she was playing her precious instrument in her closet replacing them with her riffling through her uniforms.

A mischievous smile then was etched into her features. She glanced over at the closet.

Guess the renegade was a help after all, she thought musingly.

**Authors note: ahh the filler, all the filler…. Hope you guys enjoyed. Guess what now my story has a plot. Can you believe it. Anyway please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm alive****J****and I'm back with a light cycle and a disk. Also, just an fyi if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not exactly a very faithful updater, so just be warned or whatnot. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, okay so here we go. **

**Chapter 6**

Beck still couldn't believe his luck. It had been several cycles since that faithful encounter with Commander Paige on the bridge and the aftereffects were still taking time to wear off. He still couldn't wrap his circuits around the fact that Paige, even though very reluctantly, had agreed to help him in his one man crusade. He found that he was spending way too much time thinking about her recently.

He was still debating whether or not to inform Tron about the meeting. Beck was leaning towards keeping it to himself, knowing that it wasn't a good idea to bring the subject up until he was 100% sure that Paige wouldn't derezz him.

Right now he was at a solid 75%.

The last few evening when he had been out patrolling, he had hoped to see his ally, but she was nowhere to be seen. Beck knew deep in his code that they would cross disks eventually, but he couldn't contain his excitement.

Especially since he had hinted that he cared for her. He hadn't really meant for it to slip out so obviously that night, he wasn't in the right mind after bytes death.

His death had reminded him to much of Bodhi's

Oh Flynn, Bodhi…

Whenever Beck closed his eyes, he could still see his friend's data cubes explode over their makeshift arena. How his eyes looked deep into his, how he looked so utterly terrified. His pain, his suffering it all fell onto Becks shoulders and Beck wasn't able to do anything to stop it. He kept thinking that if he hadn't pressed his friend into that game that night he might still be around. He still saw those eyes, whenever he lay down for a sleep cycle.

Now he also saw Bytes as well, and Cutlers. All the people he had failed to save.

"Beck, Beck!" Beck looked up into the grumpy face of his friend, Mara. At her side was her recently new boyfriend Zed, who also was Becks friend.

"Uh yeah?" He asked confused. Then noticed that he had been totally zoned out at his station, where a programs lightbike was held in chains, still partially destroyed. He was supposed to have fixed it a Pectrocylce ago.

"Are you finished yet? The owners coming by in just a few micros and they expect it to be done." Mara asked. Although she tried to tone it down, Beck could tell she took her job as Able's successor very seriously.

Beck did his best not to look guilty." I just have to do a few more finishing touches that are all."

Zed snorts, "Just finishing?"

Beck gave his friend a death glare, "And- maybe a few intermediate touches as well…"

"BECK!" Mara raises her hands to the ceiling exasperated. "I don't know what extracurricular activities you've been doing recently but I need you to make your job a bigger priority okay?"

Beck nodded mutely.

"Glad to get that out of the way, now then Zed and I are going out to the club tonight so we need you to keep an eye on everything for a few Pectacycles, okay? We'll be back before closing time." Her eyes were pleading; she barely got any time out of the garage these days.

Beck just waved his hand to the door," alright I'll be happy to. Now go have fun you to and don't let Zed drink too much energy. You know how he gets."

Mara laughs as Zed just rolled his eyes in denial. They thanked him again and were gone.

Beck sighed and turned back to the light Bike. He was glad to have something to take his mind off of his recent thoughts for a while…

Paige Break

Business was pretty slow in the garage the rest of the cycle. The only programs that came in were those who wanted to pick up what they had sent in that morning. Beck had handed the Baton over to its owner and received a pretty generous tip. The rest of the workers said their goodbyes and headed out, relieved that their shifts were over.

Beck found himself alone in the garage. Without the constant clamor and swearing of mechanics as they worked he found the place oddly unnerving. Quickly becoming Bored he brought out his own baton out of his locker and decided to try and make a few modifications.

He had just derezzed his own bike when the door opened. "We're just about to close," he informs the unknown programs behind him.

"I'd hope you'd make an exception, Program." Beck's checks flushed red as he recognized her voice. He turned around and noticed that Commander Paige was not alone; at her side was another occupation solider in a lieutenant uniform. He glances around uneasily trying to get his bearings on the place.

Beck stood up and stretched. He tried his best not to run over to Paige. "Good evening Commander, how may I help you?" he asked.

Paige flashed a coy smile in return, "Hello Architect." She pointed to her fellow solider, "Beck, I'd like to meet my new lieutenant Boolean. Boolean, this is my friend Beck." Beck's heart did a little happy dance at the word 'friend'.

Beck nodded and shook his out to Boolean. "It's nice to meet you." He looked over Boolean; He was about of average height and build, nothing overly impressive except he had light rare sandy blond hair and big blue eyes. Beck knew that blond hair was a very rare occurrence on the grid. His appearance reminded him much like that of a grid dog.

Boolean shyly shacked his hand back, "It's nice to meet you to, Mr. Beck."

"It's just Beck" he told the younger program. "Although Mr. Beck does have a nice ring to it-"

Paige who had been watching the exchange slightly amused cut to the chase, "Alright Architect that enough. We don't have all cycle, might as well get to why we are here." She nodded over to Boolean who took out a nearly demolished baton and handed it over to Beck.

"My bike got busted earlier today in a chase and Commander Paige told me that you're the best Mechanic in Argon." Beck's arched an eyebrow.

"Did she now?" He said smiling over to Paige, who grunted.

Boolean cleared his throat, "Anyway, my Bike's kind of special to me so I was wondering if you'd be able to fix it."

Beck inspected the baton. Part of its interior code was corroding the outside handle and a portion of it was bent in an awkward direction. It looked like it had been chucked into a light trail.

"What happened?" Beck asked as he attempted to derezz the bike on a platform. It started to but then abruptly stopped.

Boolean put one hand through his hair self-consciously, "We got word that the virus gang was setting up camp near the edge of Argon from an informant down by the docks. General Tesler wanted us to check it out. So we went down there into one of the lower sectors this morning and everything had appeared to be in order until we saw a robbery at the pixel club. A man burst out and started racing towards a waiting light cycle that already had a rider waiting. Commander Paige decided that we should pursue them and so we did. "

"Two light cycles against one, what went wrong?" Beck asked as he started playing with the baton. This time Paige answered when Boolean didn't.

"They had glitch bombs ever heard of them?" She asked her eyes glinting.

Beck racked his memory files, "Only that their illegal and highly dangerous, because they warp any code fragments that they latch onto. Something regular thugs shouldn't be in position of."

Paige nodded, "But these guys did. They threw one over at us and it hit Boolean's bike head on."

Beck grimaced, "Are you alright man?" he asked.

"It got the bike instead of me, thank Flynn." He said.

"Yeah but wouldn't some of the shrapnel have hit you or whatever?" He said thinking it over logically.

"I had checked his disk afterwards, for whatever reason he's clean." Paige informed him. "Oddly enough I think it just got the bike. Luckily, one the pieces of the glitch bombs hit a target, they can't spread onto other code."

Beck nodded and took one more look at the destroyed bike. "I'll try my best to get this back into working order as soon as I can Lieutenant Boolean." He informed him, "I just want you to know that the damage might be too extensive."

Boolean smiled, "I'll appreciate whatever you can do Beck."

Just then, Beck realized why Paige had recruited Boolean to be her Lieutenant. He was so loyal and very polite, two traits completely lacking of the occupation.

"So…" Beck said trying to be casual. "What do you plan to do about those glitch bombs?"

Paige glanced back at him, "Why does it concern you Mechanic?"

"Because I don't want that stuff messing up my city, that's all" Beck defended relieved by his quick response.

"Well if you must know, I intend to scope out the area tonight. Thanks for your help, Beck. Come along Boolean." And with that they left Beck one again alone in the garage.

_I'll see you there commander. _Beck thought and then giddily, _I guess it's a date. _

**Yeah, I'm done. Please R&R and flame and toss me in the games and whatnot. ****J**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yeah, I'm done. Please R&R and flame and toss me in the games and whatnot. ****J**

**Guess who's alive and didn't update over thanksgiving! Anyway, I'm here. I should really just change to ThatSporadicUpdater . But I'm here now and that what matters. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews they keep me going (however slowly it may seem). **

**But you people honestly don't care so I need to get on with it ;0**

**Chapter 7**

**Let's go to Bismuth**

Paige crouched down on her haunches peering over the edge of the alley roof, mentally chiding herself on her thoughts of Beck. How could she get distracted by him so easily? And no matter how many times she went back and analyzed it she couldn't understand why she told him where they were going tonight. Knowing Beck he could probably follow them (*couch, couch covertly couch, cough*). He could wind up getting himself hurt or worse, derezzed.

Paige pulled away from the painful thought. She wouldn't be able to deal with that kind of loss. She couldn't handle the idea of him, or anyone getting hurt. After bytes death she was at a breaking point. Sure, she had seen plenty of worse civilian deaths before, but never so public in front of so many people by the occupation. She couldn't take the occupation cutting down the programs they swore to protect. At least she could agree on the renegade on that.

_Careful Paige_, she chided herself. _Don't go there, not tonight._ She glanced over at her lieutenant Boolean. He too was lost in thought, blessedly quiet. By the expression planted blatantly on his face they weren't pleasant. His cheek was still bruised from his face plant on the pavement. Paige didn't bother asking him what he was thinking, it wasn't the time.

Beside her Boolean let out a quiet yawn and rubbed his eyes. They had been stalking the shop for several late pectocycles after the tracked cyclist went in. He still hadn't come out and Paige could tell that both of them were getting restless. Paige knew deep in her code that a fight was coming; the users called it 'instincts' but Paige didn't have a good way to describe it.

She felt uneasy in the run down area. The grid of the apartments was sometimes even visible in the cracks near the foundation and would collapse randomly; just as sporadically as on the island when she was there. The waste and filth was lying in the streets and infectious boils from their diseases had been seen on several programs when they came in. These slums were the worst in all of Argon, practically in the outlands themselves and nothing lasted longs in the outlands.

Paige's inner medic was screaming at the appalling living conditions. Even worse was that she knew she couldn't do anything about it.

They sat in silence for another pectocycle and Paige's feet started to fall asleep. Boolean was lightly rubbing his calves. She was considering calling it a night when the door creaked open.

In slow motion Paige recognized in horror as the glitch bomb sailed into the alleyway. Without even thinking she felt Boolean yelling "MOVE!" and him diving into her, covering her body from the shrapnel and rubble. The sound nearly blew out her eardrums. BOOOOOOM! Boolean got up and dragged her limp body away from the portion of the roof they were on moments ago as it crashed into the alleyway.

With a dull detection Paige realized that the blast must have destabilized the buildings already unstable code. Boolean knew it too as he hauled her ass toward the next building over.

"Paige…" he called out frantically. "Give me your disk." She'd never heard him so commanding and held it over.

He grasped it almost hysterically and with a few taps changed her lines to a dull white. His too were now the same color.

"What the f-?" Boolean put a hand over her mouth as he handed back the disk. He pushed her down into an alcove, hard, and looked her deep in the eye. "Follow my lead and we might, just might get out of this. Do you understand commander?"

Questions could be answered later. Paige nodded. Boolean flashed a quick smile and Paige heard footsteps behind them. Three rugged programs came down at them. Paige considered taking them on but stopped when one spoke.

"Boolean, that you?"

A million unanswerable questions rushed through Paige's head at lightning speed.

Boolean gave them a lazy coy grin "Hey there Mono, it's been a long time."

The middle one spat onto the decaying roof; "A Xilacycle, Boolean. Where have ya been eh? Why'd you cut and run on us. You know the boss won't be happy. And nobody messes with virus and gets away with that. But you already knew that didn't you?" His look showed that he knew something private that Boolean didn't want getting out.

Her friends jaw clenched as his hand touched his shoulder absentmindedly. "I know that full enough, Mono. I don't think I have to prove it to you."

Mono strolled over and looked over Boolean's shoulder to see Paige. He looked at Boolean questionably.

Boolean refused to look at Paige, "That's Cherry. She's my girl." He said it so nonchalantly as if he had rehearsed it.

"Well, hello there Cherry," Mono's hand clenched Paige's thigh provocatively for a moment and it took every ounce of her being not to reach for her disk."

"Hello-" Paige murmured out shyly. "Booly what's going on?" She asked hoping that she sounded scared.

Mono snorted and his companions exchanged smirks. "Booly?" Mono taunted. "Wow, you really have settled down. The old Boolean I know would rip a program apart cube by cube if-"

"-That's enough Mono. Don't do this in front of her." He said through clenched teeth.

"Oh this one's special eh?"

Boolean nodded, "You know how it works in Virus. You don't mess with another's girl." He grunted with an edge to his voice.

Mono just gave a cocky shrug as if he really didn't care one way or another. Paige concluded that she despised the thug. He turned his attention away from Paige and she felt somewhat insulted when he said; "She's not important. On to more serious matters, why'd you come here tonight Boolean?"

"Because of him," Boolean accused pointing to the program next to Mono.

Mono sent a death glare to the shrinking program behind him, "Ri, what is he talking about?" Ri shrugged lazily.

"So I threw a glitch bomb at a few occupation soldiers earlier. No big deal, they didn't see who they were and they didn't see me."

Mono's face seethed, ready to implode. "No big deal. NO BIG DEAL? You could have brought the occupation right to our doorstep you idiot. Do you have any idea how much time I've spent scouting out this shithole for us to live in? Do you? Do you?"

Ri clamped up not wanting to answer the rhetorical questions.

Boolean piped up "I came to warn you. I saw it when I was at the bar on the corner earlier today and I recognized the insignia on his helmet. It might be best if you lay low in Argon for a while. The occupation has infiltration cameras everywhere. I know because I've run into them before and trust me when you say you don't want to end up in the games."

Mono looked suspicious and Paige knew she had to withdraw the attention. "I thought you said we were going to you place." She did her best pouty lip, "You said we could, ya know, tonight. You promised be Booly!" She willed tears to come to her eyes.

Boolean caught on and flashed her a smile. "I wasn't lying cherry." He turned back to the gang nervously. "Anyway, now you know. Thought I might inform ya." He helped Paige up and she took his hand shakily. Boolean turned to leave, "We better get going to my place dear, I'm going to fulfill my promise to you tenfold."

Paige attempted a flirtatious giggle, but it died in her through.

Mono wasn't going to let them go so easily. "Not so fast Booly. You brought yourself to our door; you won't be leaving so quickly."

Boolean gave him an irritated look, "Come on man, can't you see I've got business to take care of?" He pointed his thumb over at the commander.

Ri piped up, "Yeah, Mono, he did help us out…"

Mono gave him visual daggers in return "Why yes Ri, he did, because someone led them to our door. Who was that? I can't quiet remember, oh yet I can. It was you. Trust me boy, when we get back to Virus you'll wish you've never been born."

Ri gulped.

Mono stroked his chin, "Ah, yes. You and Boolean will need to explain to Virus the situation when we get there."

"Wait what?" Boolean asked "Why do I have to go? It's Ri's fault."

"Because Ri's always been an idiot and won't do it justice and also to demonstrate where your loyalties lie Booly. We can't have you leading the occupation here can we?" Paige thought on the irony of that statement for a moment. "YOU need to prove you're not a filthy grid rat. That's not a problem is it Boolean? Is it?"

Boolean hardened his features. "NO mono, not a problem at all. Just… how long will we be gone?"

Mono shrugged "We'll be boarding on the next train. Who knows" He glanced over at Paige. "Should we bring her along, it could make things interesting. " He cocked Paige an eyebrow and she flinched.

Boolean lightly grabbed his disk, "You'll leave her out of this."

"Are you sure she looks rather _compassionate_?" Boolean would have none of what he was implying.

"I'll go with you. But Cherry stays. She can keep a secret, trust me."

Paige gulped. They were trending in dangerous turf.

"Fine then. Suit yourself, although it is a shame. But you'll have to vouch for her." Mono compromised.

Boolean bowed his head, "Very well. I Boolean vouch for the secrecy and life of my love Cherry, to her very last breathe to mine."

"Booly? What did you just do? What's going on?" Paige whimpered. He turned back at her seriously.

"It means that if you so much as open your mouth they'd kill me and make you watch just before they did the same to you." The severity of the vow made Paige cringe inside. They were in way over their heads.

"Boolean…" Paige's voice faltered. "Very well. I won't say anything."

The third program, the one that hadn't spoken yet opened his mouth. "We should go to the station Mono."

Mono turned back at him and nodded, "Good point, Jay." He glanced over at Boolean almost apologetically. "Say your goodbyes and then we have to go."

Without even thinking straight, Boolean turned and grasped Paige around the wrist, pulling her into him. He kissed her on the lips for a long time.

Paige's circuits started flashing red and green sparks. His started flashing light blue. He pulled away and Paige saw him melt inside. He spoke to her, with his eyes. He leaned in and started kissing up her neck and to her ear, once there he whispered in a barely audible whisper, "Bismuth". Paige filed away the information and turned his head from her neck and kissed him again.

Jay cleared his thought and Boolean reluctantly pulled away. She watched with a heavy heart as her friend that she barely knew derezzed his bike and jumped off the roof with the three other thugs. They tore through the slums and Paige watched their light trails and suddenly they were gone.

She felt a deep pit in her stomach. But something else, something intangible made her feels whole. She didn't know what to call it, but it sent a warm feeling through her entire being. She had learned where the nest of Virus was and that for tonight would be enough.

She headed back to Tesler's base, taking her time. No mood to get back and explain why she was missing a solider. Paige knew that she had to get a good sleep cycle in tonight if she was going to follow through on her half-baked plan.

Tomorrow, she would take a leisure trip to Bismuth, but she was going to need company if she was going to get anywhere.

She was going to need the Renegade.

If they could both agree on that the grid needed saving, then she decided that for now, she could work with one enemy to take out another?

Once in her chamber's she collapsed on the bed, waiting for the sleep to kick in. When it did, she dreamt of two programs, both with hidden identities.

**BOO-YAH baby I finished it. This might have been a bit of a 't' chapter, but well the tron verse is kind of a rough and tumble zone in and of itself. Please tell me what you think, this chapter was quiet the challenge to write. Thanks for all of my awesome reviewers and remember TRON LIVES!**


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